Mailer overwrap with tear strip



United States Patent a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 508,492 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-9) This invention relates to a mailer overwrap with a tear strip, and more particularly to a box-containing mailing package which is especially adapted for rapidly dispensing the box from the overwrap.

As is well known, articles placed in overwrap mailers or boxes are sometimes damaged by sharp instruments used to open the overwraps. Also, if sharp instruments are not used, an overwrap paper often tends to cut the skin of the person attempting to retrieve the wrapped article. This problem has been solved to some extent by packages, such as cigarette packages and the like, provided with tear strips. However, the tear strip in such instances usually does not assist in dispensing the entire contents of the package at the instant of opening.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved mailer overwrap having a tear strip and dispensing feature.

In one embodiment of my invention, a light-Weight outer wrap encloses a stiff inner liner and a box. To dispense the box a pull tab extension of the heavier inner wrap liner is pulled to open one end of the outer wrap and positively to withdraw the contents.

The subject matter which is regarded as my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. The invention, however, as to its organization and operation, together with further objects and advantages, will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the several major components of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail view, partially in section, of the pull tab within the assembled package;

FIG. 3 illustrates assembled package being opened; and

FIG. 4 illustrates the manner in which the wrapped article is dispensed from the package.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like numbers indicate similar parts, I have shown in FIG. 1 a box of the type which may be used to ship developed color slides and the like to an addressee indicated at 11. As indicated by the phantom lines, the box 10 is to be lowered into an encompassing stifi inner liner or frame 13 which is formed of stiff paper or light-weight cardboard, and has a tab 14 that extends outwardly therefrom. There is no glue or the like securing the box 10 within the liner 13.

The inner liner is formed from a blank cut and scored to form two side panels 16 and 17 with an end panel section 18 interposed, an end panel locking flap 19 at one end of the blank, and another end panel 20 at the other end. The locking flap 19 is only about one-half as long as the end panel. Thus, as parts 19 and 20 are pulled apart, the separation thereof will be complete so that the box 10 will be free thereof when dispensed. The end panel 20 is a full end length and even extends beyond the side panel to form the pull tab extension 14 at the extremity thereof. In order that the pull tab 14 may be ice ripped loose, it is "only superficially glued or secured to the locking flap end panel 19.

The outer wrap or mailer 22 is of a somewhat thinner paper and is usually provided with both advertising and return address information as indicated at 23, rip here opening instructions as indicated at 24 and an address window corresponding in position to the address information 11 appearing on the box 10. After the box 10 is placed in the inner liner 13, the box and inner liner are inserted Within the outer Wrap 22, whereupon the end flaps 26 are closed and sealed together. However, there is no glue or the like securing the outer wrap to either the box 10 or the inner liner 13. Also the pull tab 14 extends outward from the corner of the outer Wrap (see FIG. 2).

At this time the completed package is ready to be placed in the mail. It should be noted that the window 25 simplifies the packaging operation in that only the box 10 need be addressed. Once the box 10 is addressed, the inner liner 13 and the outer wrap 22 may be placed thereon without any addressing coordination problem to assure shipping the package to the proper addressee.

As received, the addressee simply pulls the pull tab 14 to tear the adjacent end flaps 26 from the rest of the outer wrap 22 (see FIG. 3). As the tab 14 is pulled, it separates the end panel 20 from the end panel locking flap 19 at the superficial seal of the inner liner 13. However, the inner liner 13 is not separated from the box 10 because the stilf sides 16, 18, 17 and 19 still substantially surround it (see FIG. 4). Thus, the liner blank may be removed and the box 10 dispensed from the outer wrap 22 simply by continuing to pull the tab 14.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of this invention, modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in this art. I intend therefore to have the appended claims cover such embodiments as properly fall within the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A box wrap for an easily openable package, comprising:

a relatively stiff inner liner blank cut and scored to form two side panels with a first end panel interposed and having a second end panel at one end and a locking flap at the other end of said blank,

said second end panel and said locking flap being superficially sealed together to form a relatively stifi frame-like inner liner encompassing the box;

a pull tab forming an extension of said second end panel and extending outwardly beyond said superficial sealing region; and

an outer wrap formed with a top and bottom panel with side panels interposed and integral end panels,

said outer Wrap being folded around the inner liner frame to cover the box and the inner liner frame and providing an opening exposing said pull tab, and

said inner blank being of a construction such that pulling said pull tab to release the superficial seal will rupture said outer wrap whereby the continued pulling of said pull tab will remove said inner blank and dispense the box from said outer wrap.

2. A box wrap as in claim 1 wherein said outer wrap is provided with an address window through which an address-bearing portion of the box is visible whereby no coordinating coding of either said inner liner blank or said outer liner wrap is required for delivery of the box to its proper destination.

3. A box wrap as in claim 1 wherein said inner liner blank is free of attachment to said outer wrap.

4. A box wrap as in claim 1 wherein said locking flap is of the order of one half as long as said second end panel and the mating surfaces thereof are glued together to form said superficial seal.

1,052,594 2/1913 Krohn.

4 l 1,175,835 3/1916 Streit 22940 1,221,911 4/ 1917 Ruysdael 22951 1,864,925 6/1932 Molins 2295 1 X 2,360,597 10/ 1944 Topolski 2295 1 5 2,415,117 2/1947 Tamarin 22951 GEORGE o. RALSTON, Primar Examiner. 

1. A BOX WRAP FOR AN EASILY OPENABLE PACKAGE, COMPRISING: A RELATIVELY STIFF INNER LINER BLANK CUT AND SCORED TO FORM TWO SIDE PANELS WITH A FIRST END PANEL INTERPOSED AND HAVING A SECOND END PANEL AT ONE END AND A LOCKING FLAP AT THE OTHER END OF SAID BLANK, SAID SECOND END PANEL AND SAID LOCKING FLAP BEING SUPERFICIALLY SEALED TOGETHER TO FORM A RELATIVELY STIFF FRAME-LIKE INNER LINER ENCOMPASSING THE BOX; A PULL TAB FORMING AN EXTENSION OF SAID SECOND END PANEL AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY BEYOND SAID SUPERFICIAL SEALING REGION; AND AN OUTER WRAP FORMED WITH A TOP AN BOTTOM PANEL WITH SIDE PANELS INTERPOSED AND INTEGRAL END PANELS, SAID OUTER WRAP BEING FOLDED AROUND THE INNER LINER FRAME TO COVER THE BOX AND THE INNER LINER FRAME AND PROVIDING AN OPENING RXPOSING SAID PULL TAB, AND SAID INNER BLANK BEING OF A CONSTRUCTION SUCH THAT PULLING SAID PULL TAB TO RELEASE THE SUPERFICIAL SEAL WILL RUTURE SAID OUTER WRAP WHEREBY THE CONTINUED PULLING OF SAID PULL TAB WILL REMOVE SAID INNER BLANK AND DISPENSE THE BOX FROM SAID OUTER WRAP. 